Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI Owner Alleges Overheating Persisted After Warranty Repair

What the owner alleges​

The account comes from a Reddit user, u/egoxvert, whose Predator Helios Neo 16S AI has an Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX and an NVIDIA RTX 5060. He says it was hitting 105°C on the CPU and 87°C on the GPU. The post gives no benchmark logs, workload, or ambient temperature. Those numbers are the owner's readings, not controlled measurements.

According to the post, the warranty claim was filed on September 11, 2026. The owner says nobody came for roughly a month, and a technician turned up only after he lodged a grievance with India's National Consumer Helpline. The post offers no grievance number or case documentation.

The owner then describes the visit, as relayed by Wccftech:

• After cleaning off the factory compound, the technician allegedly put two drops of liquid metal on the GPU die and refitted the heatsink without spreading them.
• When the owner asked whether the CPU interface had also been renewed, the technician allegedly removed the heatsink again. He reportedly used an unbranded tub of paste, scooped a lump with a knife, and placed it on the CPU die without spreading it.
• The owner says the laptop kept throttling afterward, with temperatures unchanged at 105°C and 87°C.

Every one of these details rests on the owner's word. They should be read as allegations.

What is not established​

Nothing reviewed shows that liquid metal spilled, that anything shorted, or that hardware was damaged. Liquid metal conducts electricity, and Wccftech rightly flags the short-circuit risk if it escapes containment. But the risk is potential, not demonstrated here. Wccftech's framing, "ruined," is stronger than the evidence beyond the owner's claim that temperatures didn't improve.

The post also can't tell us why the laptop is overheating. A bad interface job is one plausible cause, but so are dust, fan or heat-pipe problems, a poorly seated heatsink, or power and fan profile settings. The post doesn't say any of these were ruled out.

Where Acer's own materials fit​

Acer markets liquid metal as part of this family's cooling design. Its March 17, 2026 announcement for the refreshed Helios Neo line lists a Predator AeroBlade 3D fan and liquid metal thermal grease for the 16S AI. Acer also notes that specifications vary by model and region.

A couple of boundaries matter:

• The March announcement covers configurations up to a Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and an RTX 5080. The owner's Core Ultra 7 255HX and RTX 5060 aren't the same parts. His exact unit may differ from Acer's headline specs.
• An earlier Acer announcement for the PHN16S-71 said its thermals include liquid metal thermal grease on the CPU. That wording points to the CPU rather than the GPU. The owner describes a technician redoing the GPU with liquid metal and the CPU with generic paste. The sources don't settle what the factory used on this unit, so I won't draw a conclusion from it.

Reddit commenters disagreed about which Predator models use liquid metal on the CPU, the GPU, or both. That is anecdote, not authority.

Practical takeaways for laptop owners​

None of this proves Acer's service network is generally unreliable. It does show some sensible habits when a premium laptop goes in for thermal service under warranty:

1. Record the symptoms first. Note the temperatures and clocks under a repeatable load, and keep the screenshots or logs. Repeat the same test after the repair so you can show whether anything changed.
2. Keep the paper trail. Save the case number and written communications, and ask for the work performed to be recorded on the service report.
3. Escalate through proper channels. The owner's helpline route got a technician out, though only after a month's wait. Consumer-protection options vary by country.
4. Don't open a warranty machine yourself. Opening the chassis can complicate the claim. Liquid metal also needs careful containment and is a poor choice for a first-time repaste.
5. Treat third-party thermal fixes as your own risk. Wccftech recommends PTM7950, quoting $23.99 for a sheet at one retailer. Prices change, and that is a shopping suggestion rather than an Acer-approved fix. The owner reportedly wanted Acer to repair or replace the laptop instead of paying for an independent fix.

The bottom line​

The story's real value is the gap between the stated aim of the visit, fixing overheating, and the reported result of unchanged temperatures. It also reminds buyers of thin-and-light gaming laptops that exotic cooling is only as good as the hands servicing it. Until Acer responds or there is documentation of the work, this stays a single customer's account. It is a useful one to keep in mind when you decide how to document your own warranty repair.